The Dogs of Toronto Animal Services South

Not sure how Esme got that gash under her left eye. She's a playful girl so maybe she got too playful with the wrong critter.

This girl's going to be a really fun companion for someone.

The best way to check on the adoption status of this dog (and other dogs and cats and other small domestic animals) is to visit Toronto Animal Services adoption website or call 416 338 6668 for the Toronto Animal Services South shelter. If the dog is no longer on the TAS adoption website, it's probably because it's been adopted already.

The best way to check on the adoption status of this dog (and other dogs and cats and other small domestic animals) is to visit Toronto Animal Services adoption website or call 416 338 6668 for the Toronto Animal Services South shelter. If the dog is no longer on the TAS adoption website, it's probably because it's been adopted already.

Are you lonely and have problems meeting people to hang out with and possibly date, get married, have kids, get divorced, repeat? Clyde can definitely give you some pointers because he is an extrovert's extrovert. Once he introduces you to your new potential mate, you gotta take over, though. He can't do all the work for you.

The best way to check on the adoption status of this dog (and other dogs and cats and other small domestic animals) is to visit Toronto Animal Services adoption website or call 416 338 6668 for the Toronto Animal Services South shelter. If the dog is no longer on the TAS adoption website, it's probably because it's been adopted already.

Some dogs have the most expressive faces. That would be Mama (who was just recently a mama in a First Nations community in Quebec). We managed to still find an unoccupied patch of green amongst the CNE machinery and trailers and immediately Mama rolled on her back and waited for belly scratches. I had to prod her with treats to get her to sit.

Mama's been at Toronto Animal Services South for almost two months while she underwent heartworm treatment which involved getting some big, painful needles in her back muscle. She was pretty sore for a while but now she's ready for a home. She's gentle with a good dose of personality. I suspect the first person who meets her will take her home.

As an aside, if you're wondering why she's called Mama, it's because she was rescued along with one of her pups. The pup was immediately adopted by a vet tech at the rescue clinic who looked after the two of them initially but here are some pics before it got whisked away:

The best way to check on the adoption status of this dog (and other dogs and cats and other small domestic animals) is to visit Toronto Animal Services adoption website or call 416 338 6668 for the Toronto Animal Services South shelter. If the dog is no longer on the TAS adoption website, it's probably because it's been adopted already.

Riley is a stocky, grapefruit headed Boston Terrier who is a bundle of energy when he first is brought outside for his walk and at one point starts biting and yanking on the leash in an attempt to draw me into a game with him but I ignore him and eventually he settles down after about ten minutes. He needs to get out of the shelter and into a home where some of that energy can be released on a daily basis chasing balls, playing tug, having fun.

The best way to check on the adoption status of this dog (and other dogs and cats and other small domestic animals) is to visit Toronto Animal Services adoption website or call 416 338 6668 for the Toronto Animal Services South shelter. If the dog is no longer on the TAS adoption website, it's probably because it's been adopted already.

Four Chinese Crested Dogs were surrendered to Toronto Animal Services South by an owner who said she couldn't take care of them anymore. The first one ready and up for adoption is Eeyore who is a young lad at a year and a half.

I don't often come across Chinese Crested Dogs and so when I go to pick up Eeyore, his hairless body reminds me of an old man's bald head - not that I come across a lot of those either, at least not ones I put hands on. Hmm, not sure where that's going. Anyway, all this to say that Eeyore, like a bald head, will soon require some covering as the weather gets cold.

The best way to check on the adoption status of this dog (and other dogs and cats and other small domestic animals) is to visit Toronto Animal Services adoption website or call 416 338 6668 for the Toronto Animal Services South shelter. If the dog is no longer on the TAS adoption website, it's probably because it's been adopted already.

The best way to check on the adoption status of this dog (and other dogs and cats and other small domestic animals) is to visit Toronto Animal Services adoption website or call 416 338 6668 for the Toronto Animal Services South shelter. If the dog is no longer on the TAS adoption website, it's probably because it's been adopted already.

She is the sweetest little dog, now has a definite mind of her own! Still very afraid of certain noises, but quite enjoys the backyard so long as her pal Georgie is there too.

Chryssy is looking quite chic, been trimmed again so we can see her beautiful soulful big brown eyes. Her "walks" are in a Dogger stroller, until she decides a leash is more fun! So far she quietly watches as other dogs play, but we're working on it! So glad to have her with me, she's a doll. She tolerates the cats, and her tail is an endless fascination to them - it's a feathery fan and they can't resist trying to catch it.

Chryssy has ways to go yet, but meantime she is happy, likes to dig into the sofa cushions and make herself comfy at bedtime. I love to see her first thing in the morning, sound asleep on her back, paws in the air. I hope, without a care in the world.

A request

The reason for this blog is to help get specific dogs adopted from TAS but equally important is to try to normalize the idea of shelter dogs being just as good and just as desirable as any other dogs including those which are regularly merchandised by backyard breeders, puppy millers and those few remaining pet store owners who still feel a need to sell live animals. The single greatest stigma shelter animals still face is the belief that shelter animals are substandard animals. Anyone who has had enough experience with shelter animals knows this is untrue but the general public hasn't had the same experiences you've had. They see a nice dog photo in a glossy magazine and too many of them would never think of associating that dog with a dog from a shelter. After all, no one abandons perfectly good dogs, right? Unfortunately, as we all know, perfectly good dogs are abandoned all the time.

The public still too often associates shelter dogs with images of beat up, sick, dirty, severely traumatized animals and while we definitely sometimes see victims such as these, they are certainly not the majority and, regardless, even the most abused animals can very often be saved and made whole again.

Pound Dogs sometimes discusses the sad histories some of the dogs have suffered. For the most part, though, it tries to present the dogs not as victims but as great potential family members. The goal is to raise the profiles of animals in adoption centers so that a potential pet owner sees them as the best choice, not just as the charity choice.

So, here's the favour I'm asking. Whenever you see a dog picture on these pages you think is decent enough, I'd like you to consider sharing it on Facebook or any other social media sites you're using (I know many of you do this already and thank you for that). And when you share it, please mention that the dog in the photo is a shelter dog like so many other shelter dogs waiting for a home. If we can get even five percent of the pet buying public to see shelter dogs differently, to see how beautiful they are and how wonderful they are, and to consider shelter dogs as their first choice for a new family member, we can end the suffering of homeless pets in this country.-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------